Featured
CNN’s ‘Reconnect Maldives’ explores cultural traditions, culinary secrets, unrivalled underwater kingdom

A week of special coverage airs Dec 6-10 with a 30-minute programme airing Dec 11
The Maldives’ world-class resorts invite visitors to bask in the sun, sand and sea. But beyond hotel shores lies a country brimming with cultural traditions, culinary secrets and an unrivalled underwater kingdom.
This month, in a 30-minute special, CNN’s Reconnect Maldives goes beyond the familiar to connect with this island nation, through diving, deep-sea fishing and dance while celebrating the people who make the Maldives more than just a picture-perfect place.
With 99 percent of the Maldives’ surface covered by water, it is no surprise that this ocean nation harbours some of the world’s richest marine biodiversity.
CNN visits the Baa Atoll, catching a boat ride with Beth Faulkner, who leads a team of researchers at the Manta Trust, a conservation charity researching the world’s largest manta ray population. Based in the north-western part of the country at the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru, the team’s work so far has helped lead to legal habitat protection for mantas, and their inclusion on the Maldivian National Protected Species List.

The resort also partners with Reefscapers, a world leader in coral conservation. As one of the largest coral propagation facilities of their type in the world, they have planted over half a million pieces of coral over the 20 years that they have been in the Maldives. Simon Dixon, Marine Discovery Centre Manager for the Reefscapers shares the restoration process and how resort guests can be a part of it.


Diving into deeper waters, CNN meets up with Zoona Naseem, the Maldives’ first woman to be certified as a course director by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors – an impressive status only achieved by about a thousand people worldwide. For over 18 years, she worked as an instructor in hotels across the country. But eventually, she found a different calling: opening Moodhu Bulhaa Dive Centre, a dive school for primarily women and children, aimed at helping them learn to love the ocean.


The Maldives is just as bustling above ground as it is below sea – thanks to a centuries-old tradition called Boduberu, usually performed by men. Aishath Hishma is a founding member of Boduberu group Faiymini. Like most troupes, they perform at religious festivals, celebrations and community gatherings, but one major difference sets Faiymini apart from the rest – they are the only females performing as a group now in Malé. They hope to inspire other girls to join them.



Maldivian waters aren’t just a sight to behold – they’re also the most important source of food. But if fish is at the core of this cuisine, then local traditions are the secret ingredient. Chef Mohamed Adil is on a mission to revive Maldivian cuisine through the five restaurants he oversees at Dhigali, a resort in the Raa Atoll. His menus often include traditional recipes that rely on traditional methods such as pole and line fishing rather than the commercial use of nets.




Airtimes for 30-minute special:
- Saturday, December 11 at 2:00pm HKT
- Sunday, December 12 at 1:30am, 12:00pm and 7:00pm HKT
- Monday, December 13 at 6:30am HKT
Awards
Ifuru Island Maldives wins Best Premium All-Inclusive Resort at Golden Travel Awards 2025

Ifuru Island Maldives has been officially named Best Premium All-Inclusive Resort Maldives 2025 by the prestigious Golden Travel Award, recognising the resort’s exceptional guest experience and innovative all-inclusive offering. The resort distinguished itself through its commitment to redefining the premium all-inclusive concept with a bold combination of curated adventures, gourmet dining, and a true sense of luxury.
Marcel Sawyer, General Manager of Ifuru Island Maldives, expressed pride in the recognition, noting that it celebrates the dedication and passion the team invests in creating unforgettable moments for every guest. He emphasised that the resort’s experience is designed to offer guests the freedom to relax, explore, and feel truly at home, all within the comforts of a premium all-inclusive package.
Ifuru Island Maldives has quickly established a strong reputation with its thoughtfully crafted ‘Exclusively Yours’ Premium All-Inclusive package. With a fresh approach to luxury and authenticity, the resort continues to resonate with modern travellers who seek both comfort and meaningful connections.
This acknowledgment from the Golden Travel Award further solidifies Ifuru Island’s growing reputation as one of the Maldives’ most distinctive and experience-driven destinations.
Featured
Float & Flow Yoga debuts at Holiday Inn Kandooma Maldives

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives now offers guests a unique wellness activity: Float & Flow Yoga. Set amidst the picturesque surroundings of crystal-clear waters, this innovative session blends balance, movement, and mindfulness on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP), fostering a joyful connection with nature.
Designed to accommodate both experienced yogis and beginners, Float & Flow Yoga provides a 60-minute session on the resort’s SUP Yoga Dock. This specially designed floating platform, shaped like a flower, features eight “petals,” each securing a SUP board around a central space designated for the instructor. Participants are guided through gentle yoga sequences that emphasise balance, breath, and flow.
Courtney Chambers, the resident Yoga Instructor at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, describes the activity as a joyful and liberating experience. She notes that SUP yoga encourages participants to embrace the playful side of the practice while reconnecting with nature.
Classes take place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 10:00 am, with a maximum of eight participants per session to maintain an intimate and supportive atmosphere. A minimum of three guests is required for each session. The class fee is priced at US$45 per person, inclusive of taxes and service charges.
Additionally, a professional drone photo and video package is available for US$25 per person, providing guests with a memorable keepsake of their experience.
Participants are advised to wear comfortable swimwear or yoga attire and to arrive 10 minutes early at the Perfect Wave Surf Shop for a pre-session briefing.
Whether the goal is mindfulness, gentle movement, or simply a splash of fun, Float & Flow Yoga at Kandooma offers an unforgettable opportunity to reconnect with both self and sea.
Featured
Five-course Indian fine dining by Atrangi to feature at Jumeirah Olhahali Island’s June pop-up

Jumeirah Olhahali Island has announced an exclusive culinary pop-up in collaboration with Atrangi by Ritu Dalmia, the renowned Indian restaurant located at Jumeirah Al Qasr in Dubai. Scheduled from 7 to 12 June 2025, this special event will feature Atrangi’s Head Chef, Aniket Chatterjee, who will partner with the resort’s culinary team to present a refined five-course dining experience. This unique collaboration aims to reinterpret regional Indian dishes through a contemporary perspective.
Atrangi, inspired by the vision of acclaimed chef and restaurateur Ritu Dalmia, is celebrated for its bold and eclectic approach to Indian cuisine. Ritu Dalmia, a self-taught chef, began her culinary journey by launching Delhi’s first standalone Italian restaurant at just twenty-two. Over the years, she has established a portfolio of acclaimed restaurants across India and Europe, earning her widespread recognition in the culinary world. Representing her creative vision in the Maldives, Chef Aniket Chatterjee brings a modern sensibility and a profound respect for Indian culinary traditions, promising a dining experience that is both sophisticated and soulful.
For this special occasion, Chef Aniket has curated a bespoke menu that masterfully blends traditional Indian techniques with global influences. Guests will be treated to intimate oceanfront dinners and relaxed beach grills under the stars, with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian tasting menus available.
The dining journey will commence with a playful twist on the nostalgic chilli cheese toast, followed by pickled doodhi and smoked dahi. Main course offerings include Malvani chicken tikka with confit garlic, or for vegetarians, paneer peeli mirch tikka accompanied by spring onion curry. A whipped butter board will serve as a palate cleanser before guests savour dishes such as kappa meen curry or satu pulao with dalma, parwal, and burnt tomato chutney, celebrating the rich diversity of Indian flavours. The meal will conclude with an indulgent Indian sweet, followed by mignardise featuring pistachio soan papdi and a mini jalebi with rabri.
Chef Ritu Dalmia expressed her excitement about the event, stating, “The Maldives has always been a special country for me, having visited several times. It is a thrill to bring Atrangi to Jumeirah Olhahali Island, where we can showcase community-inspired dishes while celebrating the best produce the Maldives has to offer.”
The beach grill dinner at Shimmers Beach on 10 June will be priced at USD 225 plus taxes per person. On other evenings, the five-course set menu will be served at a designated ocean-view location for USD 195 plus taxes per person.
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